Nigerian aviation unions have sent out a warning strike notice to all of its members.
The unions have requested that their members go on strike on April 17 and 18, 2023, respectively.
The unions have protested against the Nigerian government’s plans to destroy the parastatal aviation offices in Lagos and its refusal to examine the Condition of Service (CoS) agreements that were negotiated seven years ago between the unions and four aviation agencies.
One of the disputed topics is the aviation ministry’s planned demolition of agency buildings in Lagos to make room for the Aerotropilis airport city project.
The workers are also dissatisfied with the Nigeria Meteorological Agency’s (NiMet) failure to apply minimum wage consequential adjustments and arrears since 2019.
This information can be found in a notice about the two-day warning strike sent to employees of all aviation agencies.
The five union scribes all signed the notice collectively.
They claim that they will go on an indefinite strike if their demands are not met after the warning strike.
They noted that they had issued a 14-day ultimatum to the aviation minister on February 7, 2023, on the same issues but that nothing was done about their grievances till the ultimatum expired.
The unions are the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), National Association of Aircraft Pilots (NAAP) and Engineers and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recreation Services Employees.
The statement reads in part, “Recall our unions as named above issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Honourable Minister of Aviation and specific aviation parastatals since February 7, 2023 over the following demands: non-implementation of minimum wage consequential adjustments and arrears for the Nigeria Meteorological Agency, NiMet since 2019, refusal of the Salaries, Income & Wages Commission, NSIWC and Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, OHCSF, to release the reviewed Condition of Service, CoS, of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, NCAT and Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, as negotiated between our unions and the Agencies, and as duly conveyed by the Federal Ministry of Aviation since upwards of nine years.
“The ultimatum has since expired and nothing tangible has been yielded from our efforts and that of the Ministry of Aviation. Furthermore, it has become evident that the Minister of Aviation remains adamant in carrying out his threat to demolish the headquarters of FAAN, NAMA and NCAA in Lagos, despite all our entreaties towards caution.
“In view of the foregoing and unless the demands are met, NiMeT consequential adjustment is implemented and the arrears paid, the CoS for NAMA, NCAA, NCAT and NiMeT are immediately released and the Minister’s demolition exercise is halted, all aviation workers are hereby directed to withdraw all services in the sector on April 17 and 18, 2023 as warning strike.”
“Should the warning strike fail to achieve the desired results, an indefinite strike shall ensue. All workers should comply and all state councils and branch exco members shall enforce this directive without compromise,” the statement added.
